The DES2 Diesel Shunting Engine

Shortly after the four DES1 engines were completed, the construction of a
fifth engine was authorised. Brush supplied the diesel-electric system, rather than English Electric
(who had worked on the DES1s). This change can be explained by the fact that
the LNER Chairman was Sir Ronald Matthews, who was also Chairman of Brush at that time.

It was completed by November 1947, and was reclassified with the BR classification of DEJ2 in
October 1954.
Numbered 8004 by the LNER, the DES2 never actually carried this number. It became BR No. 15004 in May 1949.
It worked at a number of yards, including Stratford and Whitemoor.
During 1951 it ran trails pulling short freight trains in the London area. Afterwards, it worked at
Woodford, and then New England before being withdrawn in 1962.

The main difference from the DES1s was that the engine was slightly more
powerful diesel engine which was of a four-cylinder two-stroke, compared to DES1's
six-cylinder four-stroke type.

Technical Details

Engine:

Petter Type SS4

Cylinders (x4):

8.5in x 13in

Horse power:

360hp at 600rpm

Generator:

Brush 190kW

Traction (x2):

Brush

Tractive Effort:

32,000lb

Length:

29ft 1in

Weight:

51 tons 8cwt

Wheels:

4ft

Wheelbase:

11ft 9in

Fuel Capacity:

800 gallons

Preservation

The DES2 diesel shunter did not survive into preservation, although a number of BR 0-6-0 diesel
shunters with similar bodies and designs do survive.

Models

I am not aware of any models of the DES2 in any scale, although it should be relatively easy to
modify a Class 08 or similar shunter.